What do you pay to have your guns checked

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Axel Larson

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I did a quick search and did not find a thread along these lines.
I am just wondering what you pay to have your guns checked by a gun smith?
the two I have checked near me are 35 or 65.
both are gunsmiths the one who charges 35 works for century as their official gun smith.
The 65 is a private gun repair and shop.
 
Checked? In what way exactly? Like function checks? Headspace checks? Magnafluxing? Hardness testing of the steel? Lockup, barrel gap, and endshake tests for revolvers? Bore scoping? Evaluating lug engagement of a 1911?

Honestly I've never taken a gun in to a 'smith to have it checked out, but I imagine the rates would be pretty different depending on what you're having done and in what depth.

So what does the 'smith do who charges you $35? And what does the one do who charges you $65?
 
I'm betting the $35 gunsmith would perform a complete inspection while the $65 'smith would give it a good looking over.

No offense to gunsmiths, just a lite jab. lol
 
I guess function checked. The guns I am looking to get checked out have been sitting a basement for thirty years, and I would rather not having any problems when firing them.
 
Sam is right - what are you gaving checked? Function, wear, hardness, abuse? I took enough smithing classes (more coming in the future) to where I know if a basic arm is like new, safe, functional, or worn out, but beyond that? The MOST important thing is a smith you know and trust and knows her (or his) 'stuff'... beyond that, its whatever the going rate is in your area. If I did a function check (someting I'm comfortable to do on most fiarms) at my shop and charged $75 I'd be laughed outta town because the going rate is about 1/2 that... yet in the city, I'd be swamped. So yeah, lotta variables, plus... what do you want checked? Headspace? Lugs Magnafluxed? Barrel scoped and spec'd? Sear Engagement confirmed and/or adjusted? Timing on your revolver checked and adjusted to your shooting style? Lotsa variables there.

OK, adding to this... 30 years, in what conditions? A friend can lok at them and go "eh, OK" or not... gotta know what to look at, and IMO I would be watching someone do it and LEARN, BABY, LEARN!!!!!

Case in point - my garand was kept in grease in a moist-air location, was put away right, and is still my tack drivin' baby... my 30-30 which was my brothers deerslayer was stored next to it, and was almost non-recoverable. So find someone who knows what to look AT and what to look FOR at each firearm... happy shooting, and congrats on the new collection!
 
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The browning seems to be good condition but the others have problems, but I like I said I would rather play it safe.
I should just take a few gun smithing classes one of these days.
 
+1 on the classes...

Too bad we're on opposite coasts, I'd be happy to look at what you have, and let you know if I'd shoot them or not. (and I really like my thumb and digits, so if something seems iffy I'd let you know!).

Too bad someone closer to you won't bop by, look them over, give you a go/nogo assessment, and talk guns for an evening. Anyone? Anyone? Buehler? Buehler? -giggles-

Serious, this is where knowing your local gun hobbyists would help (and a great chance for someone to help out someone apparently new in the hobby!)
 
What do auto mechanics, plumbers, electricians, and other skilled technical professionals charge? Far more than gunsmiths do! The other skilled trades around here charge in the $70 to $100 range per hour so I would expect that whatever you ask a gunsmith to do should be charged at equivalent rates but I have yet to experience that. But then, I do my own 'smithing.
 
the one who charges 35 works for century as their official gun smith.
Click to expand...

That's the funniest thing I have heard all day, that's like saying your in quality control at the sewage treatment facility.
 
My local smith does a safety/function checks for free. HE will drop in a headspace gauge and check the bore and chamber. If there is a problem he charges $35 cleaning fee and figures out what the problem is from there.
 
the one who charges 35 works for century as their official gun smith.
Click to expand...

Troll_face.png
 
Pay? Nothing. Been paid? That's another story, I've always charged 1 hour minimum whatever that's been at the time and the last time I did it other than as a favor was $58.

My tools, my time, my experience and my work space - none of which were free.
 
The gentleman I took it too runs a shotgun business as a hobby so he was more than happy to take a look at it. Even helped me to do a little research to pin it down to a field grade model in between 36 and 48.
 
Most guns are used so lightly that I've never bothered. I've owned hundreds, (I have lists), some very, very old. Now I'm lucky in that I use to (well, actually still do) minor gunsmithing as a hobby and any problems on gun's I've bought seem to have been easily spotted. Headspace gauges are cheap and plentiful.

Pay someone to check a gun over before I buy it...? No way, and good guys that I'd trust are scarcer than hen's teeth...
 
@ Sav agreed. Both of the great grandparents were big hunters but neither of the grandparents were. In some ways it is really cool because I get to restart that family tradition, since none of their children were interested in them. My wife being the grandchild and then they found out that I liked to target shoot and was getting into hunting we got them, when the grandfather decided he did not want them in the house anymore.
Seriously who does not appreciate a browning shotgun?
 
35? 65?! holy crap. do a little research and learning on your own and get a few basic tools and they will pay for themselves before you have even had 2 guns checked out. considering my gunsmith (who does a great job BTW) has only ever charged me 30 and 25 bucks to FIX my fire arms (minor problems but he knows what he is doing more than I do by far) your check out prices sound like quite a rip off for something that would take him a few minutes.
 
What do auto mechanics, plumbers, electricians, and other skilled technical professionals charge? Far more than gunsmiths do!
Click to expand...

I don't charge my customers anything for a basic inspection (fluids, brakes, steering & suspension, belts & hoses, etc). Now, you want a compression test and the like? Yeah, that's billed by the flat rate hour.

OP-The $35 quote seems fair for what would basically constitute a thorough cleaning and careful visual inspection of parts.
 
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